CHANCE HAS A WHIP

Psychological novel whose interest lies in the very convincing unfolding of the psychology of a man who is hampered from facing life as reality by his immaturity -- his unwillingness to face emotional problems -- his escape mechanism -- his desire to sustain an image of himself before his friends, his fellow workers, himself. Even his love affair is not quite definite enough to bring him up sharp, and he evades issues again. There's an abortion scene (full details) -- and the aftermath almost swings him into line, but parental compunctions brought into the foreground by encountering his young daughter on board ship, with unfortunate consequences, make his complexes even more confusing to him. Eventually, his wife divorces him and he marries Leda and -- just as chances for happiness seem over the crest of the hill -- ""chance has a whip"" and the unforeseen contingency brings its own punishment. Up to the end, which is a bit sensational, the story is first and foremost of interest to those who like skilful handling of psychological problems. And of these there are a growing number.